March 8, 2011

Wet Knees

proof of a good day

I got outside! It was the first time I have been out in my garden in 10 weeks. I puttered, I checked on plants, I even scrabbled around in the mud to clean some things up, and I have the wet knees to prove it. It was cold, the snow and hard frozen earth are still obstacles to any gardening, but oh, it felt so good!

It started snowing the day after Christmas, and the snow cover never let up all winter. Everything has been buried for months. Roofs collapsed in nearby neighborhoods, roads were turned into tunnels with frightening snowbanks towering on either side. . . I could go on, but I won't. It's over.

Not winter; that's not truly over yet. But it's early March now, and for the first time parts of the yard are uncovered, low areas are big swamps of snowmelt, and plants are emerging from under the icy blanket. It was cold, still just in the 30s today, but the south facing front walk was warm enough to entice me out to clean up.

I put in snowdrops last fall, and they are up in the sun warmed area by the walk. I really need them to multiply and form clumps --- the little onesies scattered in the damp mulch look dejected and forlorn. Eventually my patch of bearberry will spread over the snowdrop patch, and in the future they will pop up among the glossy green foliage of the kinnikinnik. I think I'll like that look.

a little sparse, looking like lost sheep in a bog

some are emerging from under the woody kinikinnik groundcover

I took a tour of my gardens, slopping around in the mud and snow, to see what winter left. The voles got to every living thing in the yard and in the meadow. Their gnawing depradations are evident on almost every tree and shrub. I put mesh hardware cloth around most small trees and shrubs to protect them from gnawers, but the multi stems of some shrubs are impossible to encase. Fortunately they sucker and form many stems, and will probably survive the bark stripping.

multi stemmed Lespedeza

Winterberry holly
sharp gravel at the base was no deterrent at all

The single trunk trees that I did not protect are in much worse shape; once the single trunk is girdled all the way around, as this volunteer ash tree is, it may die.

this ash tree sapling had reached almost 5 feet in height

But I am learning not to panic at the loss of plants each winter. It happens. I'll plant more.

Even with the evidence of winter's trauma all around me, I'm happy to be out in the garden again. It's March. I'm gardening and my knees are wet. I can cope.

I had no idea voles could cause so much damage! I didn't wrap any of the trees I planted last spring. I can only hope the cats are doing their duty out there to keep things under control. Snow is beginning to melt here too so I guess I'll find out sooner or later.

It's just amazing to me how quickly your snow can melt and how the little snowdrops are just waiting so patiently to make themselves known as soon as there is the window of opportunity. Your enthusiasm and wet knees bring a big smile!

How exciting to get outside and actually be able to work in the garden! Today was a beautiful day here, but I had to work so I couldn't even take advantage of it. Your snowdrops look lovely, and I'm sure they will multiply over time. I hope so, as I have just a few, too. But those pesky voles! They seem to find ways to get around every trap and deterrent one tries. Soon spring will be here for good, and muddy knees will an everyday occurrence.

Sorry about requiring code verification -- I experimented with turning it off to make commenting easier, and I got too much spam. Thanks for taking the time to comment, and to type in silly codes. I appreciate hearing from you.